The Casual Pint, a craft beer market franchise, has two local stores in the works.

The Knoxville-based company announced plans to open a Cincinnati-area store back in December. It has since identified two locations: Loveland Station (110 S. Second St., Suite B), where a shop should open in November, and Oakley Station, where a shop is expected to open next spring. Each shop a franchise with local ownership.

Nathan Robinette, president of The Casual Pint, said the company strives to differentiate its shops from other bars and bottle shops.

“We have a coffee shop feel,” he said. “It’s very warm, homey and comfortable.”

Each shop will at least 30 more beer taps, including local and regional offerings, for pints or growler fills. On the retail side, Robinette expects the stores to carry about 1,000 SKUs.

And they will only stock craft beer – no wine, no spirits; no Budweiser, no Miller. “Beertenders” will share their craft knowledge, and shops will host craft beer-centered events.

Both stores will be about 2,500 square feet and seat about 75 people at the bar, high tops, lounge seating in armchairs. A small food menu will include wings, flatbreads, and soft pretzels.

Robinette founded The Casual Pint with his father in Knoxville in November 2011. Franchising was always in the plans, but the business is growing at a much faster rate than they anticipated, thanks to the booming craft beer market. There are now eight stores open and 10 more in the works in Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina, Nebraska and Arizona.

More local stores are planned, with Montgomery among the target areas, Robinette said.

“We’re really interested in Ohio,” he said. “Ohio is just such a great beer state and offers so much variety and opportunity.”

When the shops open, their hours will likely be 11 a.m.-11 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-midnight or 1 a.m. weekends.